The articles of synovial angiogenesis published from 1988 to 2011 were retrieved from PubMed and CNKI databases to summarize the relationship between angiogenesis and synovis

the regulation

models and experimental treatment of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) of synovial angiogenesis in rheumatoid arthritis(RA). Synovial angiogenesis is a complex process regulated simultaneously by positive and negative factors and is associated with inflammation of RA. Synovial angiogenesis may be studied using in vitro or in vivo models of angiogenesis. Besides

collagen-induced arthritis

adjuvant-induced arthritis

synovial angiogenesis window chamber model and SCID mouse co-implantation model of RA and so on are also used. RA belongs to 'arthralgia syndrome' and 'collateral disease' in Chinese medical sciences (CMS). Synovial angiogenesis is "collateral disease" in CMS. TCM with the effect of expelling wind and eliminating dampness or activating blood and resolving stasis has the inhibitory activity for synovial angiogenesis. Angiogenesis plays a central role in the pathological processes of the beginning and ongoing of the chronic synovial inflammation in of RA. Unfortunately

at present time

there is no admitted remedy strategy for this pathological process. TCM is potential for treatment of RA. The above mentional publications provide helpful references for RA treatment and basic research.